Device for producing curved strips, in particular, curved, flat composite cables

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for producing curved strips, in particular, curved, flat composite cables. Said device consists of a draw-off device comprising rotating clamping elements with a variable peripheral speed, which is located downstream of a loom. The take-off device consists of two discs (S, S′), at least one (S, S′) of which being driven, whose rotational axis lies preferably perpendicular to the plane of the individual cables (K). The device is characterised in that at least one radially positioned retaining element (N) is provided which can be displaced in opposition to the discs (S, S′). Said discs (S, S′) can be preferably displaced on the plane of the individual cables (K) in a perpendicular direction in relation to the latter. The retaining element is located so that it can pivot within the rotational axis of the discs. For practical purposes, the pivoting angle is at least 180°. Different radii of curvature are achieved for the composite cables by a lateral displacement of the disc assembly (S, S′), which causes the individual cables emerging from the loom (K) to be drawn off on different radii of the discs.

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing curved strips, especially, curved flat composite cables, the apparatus comprising a drive device having rotating clamp elements disposed downstream of a weaving device.

[0002] DE 198 16 666 A1 discloses a process for producing strips in the form of woven composites with a curvature in the plane of the weave. Additionally, the reference describes a device for producing curved strips having a rotating withdrawal device in the form of conical rollers. The conical rollers in the area of their greatest diameter withdraw the warp threads faster than the warp threads are withdrawn in the area of the smaller diameters such that a curve is produced toward the direction of the side with the smaller diameters. Two variations are described in the reference for effecting a change in a radius of a curve.

[0003] In the first variation described in the reference, the outer surface of the conical rollers is built up of layers and the diameter can be variably adjusted by varying the dispositions of the layers on both sides of the roller. In the second variation, a revolver or rotary roller magazine is provided in which conical rollers for the various curvature radii in both directions of curvature are available.

[0004] This solution exhibits the disadvantage that the layered conical rollers and the revolver roller magazine are configured in a complicated manner and thereby engender high production costs. Due to the complicated configuration of these components and the high number of components, the susceptibility of the total system to disturbances proportionately increases and its deployability proportionately decreases. A further disadvantage is, as well, the requirement for a relatively large amount of space for the roller magazines and its limited storage capacity, such that only a few variable widths of the curves can be produced.

[0005] The present invention provides a solution to the challenge of providing a flexible, cost-favorable, space-saving device deployable across a wide spectrum of uses.

[0006] In accordance with the present invention, the challenge is solved in that the withdrawal device comprises two disks whose rotation axes are preferably perpendicular to the plane of the individual lines and of which at least one disk is driven and at least one retaining device is provided which is radially displaceable against the disks.

[0007] The disks are preferably displaceably adjustable in the plane of the individual lines perpendicular to their movement direction. The retaining device is preferably pivotable about the rotation axis of the disk. The pivot angle amounts to at least 180° for this purpose.

[0008] The invention is described in more detail in connection with the hereinafter following descriptions of embodiments thereof. In the associated drawings, it is shown:

[0009]FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the device of the present invention,

[0010]FIG. 2a is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 1 and

[0011]FIG. 2b is a view of a withdrawal device as shown in FIG. 2a with a clamped position retaining device pivotable through 180°.

[0012] As seen in FIG. 1, a withdrawal device is shown. The upper disk is designated with the letter S. The lower disk is designated with the letter S′ (compare FIG. 2a).

[0013] The shaft A is located in the middle of the upper disk S and disk S is driven by the shaft A. The drive is only disposed on one side of the disk. In the same manner, the shaft A′ is disposed on the lower disk S′ and drives that disk. A retaining device N is arranged above the upper disk S. The retaining device extends in a radial direction from the edge of the upper disk S to the neighborhood of the shaft and is pivotable about the shaft A through 180°. A second position of the retaining device is shown in the broken lines. The retaining device can be raised and can be pressed against the disks. The extents of the individual lines which are warp threads is designated with the letter K.

[0014] The individual lines K are clamped between the upper and lower disks for withdrawal thereof (FIG. 2a). The rotation axis of the disks is perpendicular to the plane of the weave. The clamping is effected through the retaining device N which presses with a force P_(a) against the upper disk S. Via the rotational movement of the disks, the individual lines are drawn off and, indeed, are drawn off at increasing speed the greater their proximity to the edge of the disks.

[0015] The entire disk arrangement lies in the weaving plane and is displaceably adjustable perpendicular to the withdrawal direction. The displacement range is at least so large so that, as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2 b, the composite cable, symbolized by the several individual lines, can be clamped to the right of the rotation axis of the disk (FIGS. 1 and 2a) or, as well, following a side displacement (FIG. 2b), can be clamped to the left of the rotation axis of the disks.

[0016] This displacement, in connection with the reversal of the sense of direction or handedness of the disks and the pivoting of the retaining device through 180°, effects a change in the sense of direction or handedness of the curve of the composite cable. In the situation shown in FIG. 2a, a curve is produced in the clockwise direction and, in the situation shown in FIG. 2b, a curve is produced in the counterclockwise direction.

[0017] Various curve radii of the composite cable occur, in that the side-wise displacement of the disk arrangement relative to the individual lines traveling from the web machine are drawn off at different radii as a function of the displacement of the disks. The curve is increasingly greater the closer the individual lines come to the shaft A.

[0018] Via the raising of the retaining device, the disks S, S′ are set out of operation and a conventional withdrawal device (not shown) is actuated so that a straight line portion of the composite cable is produced.

[0019] Overview of Reference Numerals

[0020] S upper disk

[0021] S′ lower disk S′

[0022] A shaft of the upper disk

[0023] A′ shaft of the lower disk

[0024] N retaining device

[0025] K individual lines 

1. An apparatus for producing curved strips, especially, curved flat composite cables, the apparatus comprising a withdrawal device having rotating clamp elements disposed downstream of a weaving device with the rotating clamp elements being rotatable at variable circumferential speeds, characterized in that the withdrawal device includes two disks (S;S′) whose rotation axes are preferably perpendicular to the plane of the individual lines and of which at least one disk is driven and at least one retaining device (N) is provided which is radially displaceable against the disks.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the disks (S;S′) are displaceable in the plane of the individual lines perpendicular to their direction of movement.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the retaining device (N) is mounted for pivoting movement about the axis of the disks.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that the angle through which the retaining device (N) can pivot about the axis of the disks is at least 180°. 